The rumours that Google will launch a new entry-level tablet continue. The latest report indicates that a lower-priced Nexus 7 could launch as early as Q1 2013 although the companies could also wait until Q2 as the first quarter traditionally sees slower sales.

According to Digitimes, Google is working with ASUS rather than Quanta Computer as it reported in the past. The two companies are still hoping to hit the US$99 price point but anonymous market observers expect that supplier costs (including those of touchscreen maker Shenzhen O-Film Tech) may force them to sell for slightly more. If component costs cannot be driven down further, it could sell for between US$129 and US$149 instead.

Google and ASUS will reportedly aim the new tablet at emerging markets. If so, we may not see it in North America where the Nexus 7 already sells for as low as US$199. Initial shipment volumes could reach 600,000 units.

Could this new entry-level Google Nexus 7 tablet be none other than the ASUS ME172V spotted over at GLBenchmark.com recently?

Rumours persist that Google will release an entry-level Nexus tablet priced below its currently cheapest model, the 16GB Google Nexus 7, which currently sells for CA$209/US$199. Digitimes still expects the company to unveil this cheaper tablet and predicts it will “have the strongest influence on its competitors.”

Earlier rumours suggested that this tablet could sell for as low as US$99. It could be powered by a 800 MHz single-core WonderMedia Technologies PRIZM 8950 processor (and Mali-400 GPU). It may also be manufactured by Quanta Computer rather than Nexus 7 partner ASUS.

Digitimes also predicts that Google will continue to find success with its Nexus tablet line in 2013 with shipments to reach 19 million units and account for 50% of non-Apple tablet shipments.

Another day, another LG Nexus 4 rumour. Google’s next Nexus smartphone has surfaced again, this time courtesy of @evleaks. The new image and specifications are consistent with past rumours and reveal little that we did not already know.

According to the latest information, the LG Nexus 4 (model E960) is expected to be powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset (APQ8064) and Android Jelly Bean (version identified as MR1 here). It will have a 4.7-inch HD (1280×768) display, 2GB RAM, 8or 16GB of onboard storage (and no microSD slot), an 8MP rear camera, a 1.3MP front camera, and a 2,100mAh battery. It will be 9.1 millimeters thick and weigh 139 grams.

Rumours continue to circulate that Google will launch a US$99 Nexus tablet by the end of the year. Citing “Taiwan-based supply chain makers,” Digitimes today shed more light on this device. Google has allegedly tapped Quanta Computer instead of Nexus 7 partner ASUS (as initial rumours suggested) to produce this model.

This entry-level tablet will come with a 800 MHz single-core WonderMedia Technologies PRIZM 8950 processor (and Mali-400 GPU) and a HannStar Display HUVA TN panel. The size of the display is not specified but is likely to be 7-inch.

For its part, ASUS indicated that it has no plans to launch a US$99 Nexus tablet.

Google is walking a fine line with such a tablet. It might sell well at least initially but there is the risk that tepid performance and a cheap finish could damage its Nexus brand.

Tired of the LG Nexus 4 smartphone rumours? In a change of pace, pictures of what could be a Sony Nexus device have surfaced today. Billed as the Sony Nexus X, it is very similar to the Sony Xperia ion but bears no Xperia branding.

Rumours to date have given us a pretty good idea of what the LG Nexus 4 (or LG Optimus G Nexus) will likely look like, its specifications, and even the announcement date. All that is really missing at this point is the price and ByteNow looks to have that last bit of information. According to their anonymous source, the next Nexus device could start as low as US$399 for the 8GB model.

The report adds that the LG Nexus 4 will go on sale through Google Play and that there may be no carrier partnerships (and subsidized pricing) at launch time. Google and LG will offer GSM-only models at first to keep prices as low as possible. More expensive LTE models have been ruled out for now.

If the 8GB model sells for US$399, it is possible that the 16GB one will sell arond the US$449 mark.

As for the name, it looks like it is about 60% in favour of LG Nexus 4 and 40% for LG Optimus Nexus.

More pictures of LG’s first Nexus device (the LG Nexus 4?) have surfaced courtesy of Belarusian site Onliner. Much like previous ones, they show a device very similar to the Galaxy Nexus and bearing the model number E960 and the codename Mako.

Based on the LG Optimus G, the LG Nexus device will come with a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, a 4.7-inch HD (1280×768) display, and 2GB of RAM. Unlike previous reports, the report adds that it is currently running Android 4.1.2 but that it should be upgraded to 4.2 prior to its release.

The LG Nexus 4 is also compared to the Apple iPhone 5 in a number of shots including this one:

And if you ever wanted to know how the LG Nexus compares against a stuffed parrot toy, be sure to check Onliner.

The rumours of an LG Nexus device continue to come in fast and furious. The latest one now gives us a potential announcement date. According to French newspaper Le Figaro, LG and Google will unveil the LG Nexus 4 on October 29th.

The report adds that the LG Nexus 4 will also go on sale on October 29th in a number of markets. Other markets will see it launch later. For example, France is not expected to see the LG Nexus 4 until early December. A launch on the day of the announcement suggests that it could be available through the Google Play Store much like the Galaxy Nexus and Google Nexus 7 are.

An imminent launch is also supported by a screenshot from the UK’s CarPhone Warehouse inventory system. It shows the LG Nexus 4 will be available in both black and white.

It remains to be seen if LG’s Nexus device official name will be the LG Nexus 4. One thing is sure: It’s a better name than LG Optimus G Nexus.

Rumours that Google would follow up its Nexus 7 tablet with a 10-inch Nexus model first surfaced in June. Citing NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim, CNET reports that Google is moving ahead with this plan. Given its recent tablet partnership with ASUS, it is somewhat surprising that Google is instead partnering with Samsung on this device. At the same time, the two companies have collaborated on two Nexus smartphones already and Samsung has plenty of experience in the tablet space.

Aimed at taking on the iPad, it will be a high-end device. One advantage it will reportedly have over the iPad will be its 2,560 by 1,600 pixel display with a PPI of about 299. This would top Apple’s iPad Retina Display which offers a resolution of 2,048 by 1,536 pixels and 264 PPI.

Shim also confirmed that Google is working on a US$99 tablet which should start production in December.

Past rumours have suggested that HTC, LG, Samsung, and Sony could all be tapped by Google to make upcoming Nexus devices. On the heels of a report that Google is set to change the rules of its Nexus program to support multiple Nexus devices, Digitimes reports that a number of device manufacturers could be potential partners. The companies named are Samsung, LG, Sony Mobile Communications, and HTC. Coincidence?

The report adds that vendors will be able to set their own hardware specifications as long as they can support the latest version of Android. This suggests that Google will set a minimum set of specifications but allow manufacturers to go beyond them if they want.

The same report adds that Microsoft has chosen to go a different route. Supporting earlier rumours, it suggests that Microsoft will work with Pegatron to manufacture its own Windows Phone 8 smartphone. With Microsoft setting stricter hardware rules, its devices would compete with those of partners.

Rumours that LG will manufacture a Nexus device continue to gather steam. Android And Me has learned that LG and Google will co-host an event sometime in November at which they will introduce Android 4.2 and the LG Optimus G Nexus, a variant of the LG Optimus G.

Android 4.2 is not expected to come with major changes. It should include improved power management and an updated Google Play Store. The homescreens may also be represented by tabs going forward.

As important is the possibility that Google will make significant changes to its Nexus program. Going forward, any manufacturer will have the option of launching Nexus devices as long as they adhere to the requirements of the program. Among the requirements will be the use of stock Android and 64MB of secure memory for media streaming. Other hardware requirements will likely be added to ensure that Nexus devices will be able to support Android 5.0 which could launch in late 2013.

Building on prior rumours of an announcement in the “next 30 days”, the report adds Google’s Andy Rubin will probably talk about the new Nexus program at the AllThingsD: Dive into Mobile conference at the end of October but that no devices will be announced.

Citing “three different industry sources,” Android And Me now reports that Google will launch their next Nexus smartphone within the “next 30 days”. The report adds that the next Nexus has already been leaked and will come with a new version of Android. Rather than a major release, it will be a point release though. Perhaps the Android 4.1.2 release that we already heard about?

The report then conjectures that Google could use the an interview between Walt Mossberg and Andy Rubin during AllThingsD: Dive Into Mobile at the end of October to launch the new smartphone. It adds that the Nexus could be a variant of the upcoming LG Optimus G.

It is always a weird feeling to go on holidays where there is no wireless coverage and no daily news (gadget-related or otherwise). One of the things I was able to do was start reading the The Walking Dead comic book series. After the second TV season ended, I decided to read the comic to find out where the story would go next. I’ve not quite caught up (100+ issues at this point) but definitely a story I am enjoying and would recommend (albeit recognizing it is not for everyone).

Meanwhile, the news did not stop in the gadget world. Here are a few highlights (in case you were on holidays as well):

Apple won its US patent infringement case against Samsung and has been awarded damages of US$1,049,393,540. The jury found that a number of Samsung devices, including the Galaxy S II, Galaxy Tab, Nexus 4G, and Galaxy Ace, infringed on a number of Apple patents. Worse for Samsung was the conclusion that some of the infringement was willful in many cases.

Samsung is also facing a US ban on a number of its devices. A decision will be made in the coming weeks by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh.

Google could mark Android’s upcoming 5th birthday with quite the celebration. Rumours last week suggested that the next major Android version (Android 5.0/Jelly Bean?) would launch with multiple Nexus devices from different manufacturers on Google Play by Thanksgiving. Talk Android has learned from a “reliable source” that Google will launch five Nexus devices on November 5th. It just happens that this will date will also mark Android’s 5th birthday.

It’s unclear at this time whether the devices will just be announced or actually go on sale on that date. Perhaps more will be revealed at the upcoming Google I/O.

It’s all rumour right now but I like the sound of 5 Android 5.0 devices launching on November 5th.

There could be a lot more Nexus devices in Android’s future, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Whereas there was a single Nexus device per Android major release in the past (2009’s Nexus One, 2010’s Nexus S and 2011’s Galaxy Nexus), Google could allow multiple manufacturers to offer Nexus devices with the next major version (Jelly Bean). It could work with up to five manufacturers to create a portfolio of Nexus smartphones and tablets.

These manufacturers will gain early access to new releases of Android in preparation for the launch of these Nexus devices. Each would also be able to have up to a dozen employees work at Google’s headquarters work directly with Google’s own programmers.

The move would allow Google to give Motorola (which it is in the process of acquiring) the chance to develop its own Nexus devices without the risk of upsetting its Android partners. Motorola could not be seen as getting any special favour from Google with such an arrangement.

The report adds that Google is hoping to have its new portfolio of Nexus devices ready for sale by Thanksgiving. The plan is to sell them unlocked presumably at full retail price, much as Google recently started doing with the Galaxy Nexus. The hardware section of the Google Play store will also expand to cover not only in the U.S. but Europe and Asia as well. Canada was not mentioned unfortunately.

Selling its devices directly will also allow Google to circumvent carriers and the limitations that they can impose. For example, Verizon Wireless’s version of the Galaxy Nexus does not come with Google Wallet.

Past rumours have linked Samsung, HTC and LG to wanting to build the next Nexus device. Perhaps they will all get the chance to do so now.